Bessie Gertrude Mingo

Robbinston – Bessie Gertrude Mingo, 100, passed away peacefully on Monday, April 5, 2010 at the Atlantic Rehab & Living Center in Calais. Bessie was born in Robbinston on October 16, 1909, daughter of the late Michael and Ellen (Bohanon) Greenlaw. After graduating high school in Red Beach, she went on to become a Registered Nurse at the Calais Hospital, Class of 1936. Bessie continued to work at the Calais Hospital for many years until she left to raise her children. During this time, she lived on the John Miner Farm in Robbinston where she and her husband operated a dairy farm as well as beef cattle and sheep. Once the children became older, Bessie worked in the local sardine factories in Robbinston until her retirement. During retirement, she helped raise four of her grandchildren. Bessie enjoyed cooking, knitting and she took great pride in growing her flower gardens. She was an avid Red Sox fan, and her greatest thrill later in her life was watching them win two World Series championships. Her most memorable moments were of those spent at Nash’s Lake with family and friends. She was fondly known as “Nana” to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren and took pride in boasting of their many accomplishments. She never cussed, unless she told you to “go fry ice” if she disagreed with you, and would never have a bad word to say about anyone. In addition to her parents, Bessie was predeceased by her loving husband Richard J. Mingo; four sisters, Kay Gayton and her husband John, Phyllis Cook and her husband Theo, Libby Greenlaw, and Charlotte Greenlaw; a great-granddaughter Jodi Gerow, and her dear friend, Marion Chisholm. She will be greatly missed by her surviving children, Alden Mingo and his wife Donna of Robbinston, and Barbara Lincoln and her husband Stephen of Accord, NY; seven grandchildren, Jo-Ann Mingo of Albany, NY, Karen Gorman and her husband Gary of Rehoboth, MA, Richard Mingo and his wife Susan of Robbinston, Arthur Mingo and his wife Sonja of Calais, Lisa Gerow and her husband Kenneth of Moncup Valley, NY, David Lincoln of Albany, NY, an Stephanie Lincoln of Accord, NY; nine great-grandchildren, Lindsey, Jacqui, Mitchel and Evan Mingo, Kaylee Lincoln, Natashia Lincoln and David Lincoln, Jr., and Jason and Josh Gerow; one great-great-granddaughter, Jaiden Lincoln; many nieces and nephews; special friends Irene Diffin and Bea Pulk; and many friends.